


Twist

by pene



Category: Glee
Genre: AU, Advent, M/M, Meet-Cute, gymnasts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-25
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-03-03 11:40:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2849585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pene/pseuds/pene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the national gymnastic championships, but it's not just Blaine's Olympic dreams on the line, his heart's on the line too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twist

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Klaine Advent Day Twenty : Twist

Blaine knows of him, of course. Everyone does. Kurt Hummel’s a U.S. junior champion, recognized for his flawless lines on the high bar and poise on the rings.

And Blaine’s watched Kurt on video countless times, Coach Schuester always in his ear. “You want to make it to the Olympics, Blaine? That’s your competition. Kurt Hummel. Iron-willed kid. Coached by Sue Sylvester so he’d need to be. He came to me five years ago, looking for a coach, but I wanted someone with more – what would you call it - virility. There’s something in his form that isn’t comfortable to watch.”

Blaine says nothing but he can’t agree. Kurt Hummel moves, all elegant limbs and composure, and it’s the sweetest thing Blaine has seen. 

But somehow between Blaine’s two year spell training in China and Kurt’s unexplained six month absence from the gymnastic scene, they haven’t met until today, day one of the National Championships and the Olympic trials.

Blaine pauses in his course across the gym as Kurt mounts the high bar and lifts his body to start the steady motion he needs. Immediately each rotation is uniform, each release precise and lovely. Kurt knows what he wants his body to do. Blaine can’t help it. He watches the routine with his heart in his throat. Over and over Kurt twists through the air then finds the bar again. His body is perfectly extended. He is beautiful on screen; in person he steals Blaine’s breath. 

Which is kind of unworkable. Blaine needs his breath for his own routine. He’s on the floor next, his own specialty. More than ever before, he needs to be perfect.

“He’s a rival,” Blaine reminds himself. But his heart betrays him and he’s applauding rapturously when Kurt dismounts. Kurt turns his head. His eyes fix on Blaine across the mats. Blaine looks back for a charged moment. It’s an anticlimax when Kurt turns away to talk to his coach.

“You’re up next, man,” says Jake and thuds Blaine on the back. Jake’s a good guy, one of Coach Beiste’s best. His dance work is very strong, but Blaine’s floor skills have a higher degree of difficulty and he’s aware he has more charisma. He’ll need all of it.

Blaine nods his thanks, shakes himself and moves on to the floor. He’s Blaine Anderson. He’s not about to let himself be distracted by a boy, however gorgeous. 

*

Blaine stays late to check his music is correctly cued for tomorrow’s floor final. He’s chosen a pop ballad featuring the vocal talents of Unique Adams. After that Blaine gets caught up talking with Kitty and Tina from the women’s team.

By the time Blaine’s done, there’s no one in the locker room. He showers alone, lets the water beat against his shoulders as he runs over each bar of tomorrow’s routine in his head. He’s got this. He just hopes the judges like him.

Afterwards he wipes steam from the mirror so he can deal with his hair. He’s surprised to hear a locker door clank closed, the slap of leather soles on tiles.

“Your floor work is wonderful.”

Blaine turns. Kurt’s immaculate, dressed in a Paul Smith tee and skinny jeans that Blaine has to force himself to look away from. He can’t help but smile widely as he meets those eyes again. “Thank you.” He’s flustered.

“I heard you checking on your music. That for tomorrow?”

“Oh. Yes.”

Kurt says, “I know her. Unique. We’ve been friends since the first grade.”

Blaine blinks. “Oh my god!” he says. “I love her. She’s amazing.”

“I know!” Kurt’s smile explodes like a firework in Blaine’s heart. Blaine would keep talking to him forever for the chance to see it again.

“What’s she like?”

“Talented. Resilient.” Blaine can see why they’d have been friends. Kurt’s still smiling though he looks a little wistful.

“You miss that life,” says Blaine.

“I miss having friends,” Kurt admits. Blaine nods. He understands that. Of course he does.

Kurt swivels his head and looks into the mirror, turns in the light to check his swoop of hair. After a second their eyes meet in the still fogged surface.

Blaine says, “I couldn’t look away from your high bar. Just so- magnetic.” He looks down, embarrassed by his own enthusiasm. But when he looks back Kurt is regarding him with flushed cheeks.

“Thank you.” His voice is soft.

“Good luck tomorrow,” Blaine manages.

Kurt tips his head. He looks bemused. “You mean that,” he says. It’s not a question.

“I want the best of us in the team. You’re the best.”

Kurt flushes more deeply. “You are too. You bring skills I don’t have. The whole world is going to love you.”

Blaine lets the joy of that slip up his spine. 

“So,” says Kurt. “I guess we need to hope that we both make the cut.”

Blaine nods. It’s possible. Mike Chang is a shoo- in and he’s certain Kurt will get a place, he has to, but there are three spots in the team beyond that.

“I’d better go,” says Kurt. “I need to call home and you don’t get this,” he gestures vaguely, “without beauty sleep.”

Blaine smiles. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Kurt,” he says.

“I’ll look forward to it,” says Kurt. His hand brushes Blaine’s hip as he spins on his toes and leaves.

Blaine looks after him and rests his fingers on his hip, right at the spot Kurt touched him. He’s watched Kurt for years. The boy is in absolute control of his body. If he touched Blaine it was no accident. That knowledge thrills in Blaine’s chest.

*

Four days of competition and Blaine is whirling. He watches Kurt come through in first on the high bar and place on the rings and parallel bars. He is extraordinary, but no one can take Mike Chang’s place at the top.

Blaine feels Kurt’s eyes on him as he hits every mark, makes every pass perfectly, and wins first on the floor. He feels the best he ever has, scores highly on the pommel horse and vault.

In between routines, Blaine and Kurt talk. There are a million things to say and never enough time. 

The team announcement is set for a hotel conference room. The lighting is terrible, the walls neutral and windowless. There are media there, the coaches, family, the selectors, and fifteen talented and hardworking young gymnasts. Blaine sits beside Coach Schuester and his blood thrums hard.

Before the announcement Kurt turns and catches Blaine’s eye. Blaine can’t read the gray-green look Kurt gives him but he appreciates it nonetheless. His mind is full of gymnastics, of competition and performance, and it’s full of Kurt too.

Kurt’s name is called second. He stands at the front of the room. He’s glowing and gorgeous. His hands tremble but he holds his chin high. He and Blaine are watching one another when Blaine’s name is called. Blaine’s feet don’t touch the ground as he heads to the front.

*

Blaine’s an athlete. At the celebratory dinner he has one and a half glasses of wine and the alcohol tingles at the end of his fingers and in his skin.

“I can’t stop smiling,” he says to Kurt. “I’m never ever going to stop smiling.”

They’re sitting beside one another. The table’s been cleared. There’s a hint of a laugh as Kurt says, “That sounds nice though maybe a touch exhausting.”

“I’m just so happy,” says Blaine. “So, so happy. I’m going to the Olympics. We’re going to the Olympics. I can’t believe it.”

“It’s going to be a lot of work,” says Kurt, but he’s smiling.

“Don’t try and tell me this hasn’t been your dream since you were six years old,” says Blaine. Kurt nods. “Anyway it’s going to be a lot of work but it’s going to be a lot of work with you.”

Kurt regards him frankly. He doesn’t say anything, but under the table his ankle presses gently against Blaine’s. Blaine bites his lip and tries to remember how to breathe. He turns his foot and presses it against Kurt’s, a secret mark of things to come. Kurt’s hand shifts until one finger rests against Blaine’s on the table. Blaine knows Kurt’s muscles, knows many of the things he can do with his body. Still that tiny touch of fingers flickers up and down his spine.

“I can’t kiss you here,” says Kurt, low and earnest. “But I can tell you how much I want to.”

“Come with me,” says Blaine, certain, like sticking a perfect landing. He takes Kurt’s hand as they reach the hallway, tugging him down the corridor to his room.

“I’m not suggesting-” he says at the door and hesitates.

“I know, I know.” Kurt smiles.

Blaine opens the door and they slide into the dark of the room. They walk across to the window. The city outside was ordinary by daylight but at night it’s lit by thousands of sparkling lights.

“Okay?” says Blaine.

“Okay,” says Kurt and leans in. Blaine’s spent all his life twisting his body, falling and tumbling through the air. When they kiss it’s like flying.


End file.
